Fighter
by MysticBreeze
Summary: One moment changed Draco’s life forever, now his world seems to be spinning out of control. His father put him though hell and back, but he realizes he can over come his fear with the help of someone he truly loves.
1. Fighter

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Fighter

Disclaimer~ I don't own any of the characters - Draco, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny, etc. - are NOT mine. There may be other characters in the story that aren't in JK Rowling's books (none will play a major role, though). 

Spoilers~ Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, and Goblet of Fire

Rated R for language and violence

One moment changed Draco's life forever, now his world seems to be spinning out of control. His father put him though hell and back, but he realizes he can over come his fear with the help of someone he truly loves.

When I, thought I knew you  
Thinking, that you were true  
I guess I, I couldn't trust  
'Cause your bluff time is up  
'Cause I've had enough  
You were, there by my side  
Always, down for the ride  
But your, joy ride just came down in flames  
'Cause your greed sold me out of shame, mmhmm  
  
After all of the stealing and cheating  
You probably think that I hold resentment for you  
But, uh uh, oh no, you're wrong  
'Cause if it wasn't for all that you tried to do  
I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through  
So I wanna say thank you  
  
'Cause it makes me that much stronger  
Makes me work a little bit harder  
It makes me that much wiser  
So thanks for making me a fighter  
Made me learn a little bit faster  
Made my skin a little bit thicker  
Makes me that much smarter  
So thanks for making me a fighter  
  
Never, saw it coming  
All of, your backstabbing  
Just so, you could cash in  
On a good thing before I realized your game  
I heard, you're going around  
Playing, the victim now  
But don't, even begin  
Feeling I'm the one to blame  
'Cause you dug your own grave, uh huh  
  
After all of the fights and the lies  
Yes you wanted to harm me but that won't work anymore  
Uh, no more, oh no, it's over  
'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture  
I wouldn't know how to be this way now, and never back down  
So I wanna say thank you  
  
'Cause it makes me that much stronger  
Makes me work a little bit harder  
Makes me that much wiser  
So thanks for making me a fighter  
Made me learn a little bit faster  
Made my skin a little bit thicker  
It makes me that much smarter  
So thanks for making me a fighter

-Christina Aguilera

"Fighter"


	2. Avada Kedavra

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Fighter

Chapter One

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Avada Kedavra

Running though the thick green forest, he knew he was being chased. The branches from the trees scraping his pale face went unnoticed, for he had only one thing on his mind. Escape.

"Draco, you can't run from me!" The sound of the voice made him realize how close his pursuer actually was. The man chasing Draco was his own father, Lucius Malfoy, and he knew he could never out run him. Panting, he dropped to his knees, as fear over came him. Standing in front of him was his father. "Draco! How dare you disobey me again. It's your destiny, son. You know as well as I do you can't hide from the Dark Lord."

"Father, I-" But Lucius didn't let him continue.

"Listen to me, boy. I'm your father, I want what's best for you and becoming a Death Eater is your destiny. You can't stop it, nor can I." He paused, his son sighed, as desperation filled his eyes. "You were born to become a follower of Lord Voldemort."

  
  
"But, Father, I don't want to be follower. I want to make my own decisions. I want to have my _own _life." Draco stood up, staring his father square in the eyes, as if daring him to continue. "You can't stop me."

  
  
"I may not have to stop you, if I don't Lord Voldemort will. But still, Draco, I can't have you dishonoring the Malfoy name, can I?" He swallowed hard as Lucius took out his wand. "You need discipline, boy." Draco's eyes widened. "_Crusio!_"

Draco dropped immediately and began violently shaking, as his father watched. He trembled uncontrollably on the cold, hard forest floor. A few minutes had passed of tremendous pain before Lucius removed his wand. Draco, still slightly shaking, crawled over and slumped next to the nearest tree.

  
  
"Disobey my orders again and the same thing will happen." With that, he hurried back to the Malfoy Manor, leaving Draco leaning painfully against a large tree for support.

He hated his father and he knew better then to tell him 'no'. But this time he had to, Lucius wanted him to sacrifice a Muggle for the Dark Lord, to prove he was worthy of becoming a Death Eater. As much as he hated Muggles and Muggle-borns be couldn't bring himself to kill one.

About an hour or so later Draco staggered back to the manor. Exhausted, he made his way up to his room. As he walked up the large spiral staircase Draco heard shouts from his parents' room. He stopped dead in his tracks and listened.

"Narcissa, you know I wouldn't hurt the boy, don't you trust me?"

"No, I don't trust you. You can take all your anger out of me if you wish, just don't lay another 

finger on our son. Or I'll-" He heard his father pound his fist onto the wall.

"Or you'll what? Get me set to Azkaban? I don't think so Narcissa, I'll do what I wish with my son. 

It's got nothing to do with you, it's between him and I."

"No, Lucius, you're wrong. Draco is my son, my own flesh and blood. I can't just let you hurt him because he doesn't want to become a Death Eater like you."

Draco listened more intently as he heard his mother stick up for him. No one had ever done that, except Snape, until now. Before his mother wouldn't have cared if his father cursed him, why does she want to start now? He thought for a moment that maybe she _did _love him, but that decided that she just felt like arguing with her husband. All his life his father tortured him while his own mother did nothing to stop it. She never hurt him physically, but mentally was another story.

"A Death Eater like me? The world needs Death Eaters, dear, you know as well as I do. If it wasn't for us the whole world would have been taken over by Muggles and Muggle-lovers. We can't have our own Purebloods mixing with these… these Mudbloods."

"If he doesn't wish to become a Death Eater then don't make him. I'm sure Voldemort could find someone else, he doesn't need a boy who doesn't agree with him, am I correct?"

"Narcissa, don't argue with me!" His father shouted. "You-"

Everything stopped as Draco coughed, his father had heard him. A few seconds later the door knob turned, and Draco stood face to face with his father. His cheeks were flushed from shouting and his eyes were filled with hatred. He knew this couldn't be good.

"Father, I er- I didn't mean to. I was just heading to my room, I'm sor-"

"Don't lie to me, boy! How much did you hear?" He had never seen him this angry before, even in the woods earlier. His father, even while punishing him, had always kept his cool. He rarely shouted, but always seemed to get his way. He sensed that something was terribly wrong, and he wanted to just Disapparate right there and get away from it all.

"I heard you and Mother arguing over whether or not it's my choice to become a Death Eater. I think Mother's right, it should be _my _choice, not your's, not Voldemort's. Mine."

The next thing Draco heard was his father shouting, he swore he heard him say "_Imperio!_"

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Kill her! Kill her, now, boy! He was right, he was under the Imperius curse, and there was nothing he could do. Sure, Potter had been able to stop it during Professor Moody's class in their 4th year, but that was different. Professor Moody wasn't actually Mad-Eye Moody, even Dumbledore hadn't noticed until after the Triwizard Tournaments. He was Barty Crouch, a Death Eater, but Lucius was a lot stronger than him. He couldn't fight off his father's curse.

__

Kill her! He felt weak, but he had to try to overcome the curse. He couldn't just let his father take over. If he did, his mother would die because of him. His feet on their own. slowly making their way toward his mother, who stared wide-eyed in the corner. Sweat poured down his face as he struggled to stop them. _That's it, get closer to her. Kill her!_

"No, Father, stop it! I can't - please," he whispered. It was no use, his father's eyes were blood shot, and the look on his face told Draco he wasn't listened. He wanted to kill, and that's exactly what was going to happen.

__

Kill her! Take out your wand. His hands trembled as he reached inside his black cloak and pulled out his wand. The wand shook as he held it in his unsteady fingers. _Do it Draco, kill her! Use the Killing Curse. Just kill her!_

He couldn't tell his father 'no' now, he couldn't even speak. Everything blurred, he couldn't think straight. The voice in his head, his father's voice, was the only thing running through his mind. The next thing he knew, his mouth was open, but no words came out. His trembling hands stretched out in front of him, beyond his control. He opened his mouth again, but this time was different. This was the one moment his life would change, forever.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _Green light shot out from the end of his wand, towards his mother. The light went straight though her and she dropped to the floor. Her eyes frozen open in terror, and her mouth open. She was gone. Draco didn't know what to do, he just stood there. The curse was lifted off him and he became fully aware of what had just happened. He killed his own mother.

His father looked satisfied, as if he had just tormented a thousand Muggles and gotten away with it. "Draco, you can now call yourself a true follower of the Dark Lord."  


  
"I- I killed her. How could you Father! I'm not a Death Eater, I'm not! Just go to hell!" He knelt down beside his mother's limp body. Though she had never shown that she cared for him, she was still his mother, and now she was dead. She was dead because of him.

* * * *

Hermione awoke to the sound of her alarm clock buzzing. She walked over to the window and smiled, opening it and staring at the world. Today was the day she'd be returning to Hogwarts, her home away from home. She missed the school so much, especially Harry and Ron, her two best friends.

She dressed quickly and made her way downstairs to the kitchen, where her parents sat waiting for her. "Morning," she smiled brightly and took her seat next to her mother, who was engaged in the paper. Her mother read everything, just like Hermione, if not more. Her father looked glum, like he did every year when she returned to Hogwarts. He said it wasn't the same without Hermione at home.

"You all ready, dear?" Her mother asked, taking a sip of coffee.

"Yes, I'm ready. Can we leave soon? I don't want to be late." She shot her mother and father a pleading look.

"You want to get away from us that badly, huh?" Her father laughed, he knew that's not what she had meant.

"No, that's not it, it's -" she paused, thinking about how much she missed Hogwarts. "I miss my friends and everything, that's all."

"Oh, Hermione, I know I was just joking," he smiled. "And to answer you're question, we can leave as soon as you're ready."

"Thank you. I'll go get my bags." She raced up the stairs and when she returned, her mother and father were waiting for her at the door. "I'm ready," she announced.

A few hours later she finally got to onto the platform and made her way toward the pole between Plantforms nine and ten. She said goodbye to her parents and stepped though to the other side. It was just as she remembered it, everything looked the same. Looking around for Harry and Ron, she decided they must already be on the Hogwarts Express making sure they had seats saved.

As she stepped onto the train, there was no sign of either Harry or Ron. She looked in about every compartment, and no one seemed to know where they were. As she made her way down the thin hallway, she peaked into a compartment that was slightly ajar. To her surprise, it didn't contain Harry and Ron, but the person she despised most, Draco Malfoy.

"What are you doing here, Mudblood?" He sneered at her.

"Sorry, I was looking for Harry and Ron-"

"I haven't seen them, now get along you filthy Mudblood. You aren't worthy of being seen in the company of moi."

"Oh shut up, Malfoy," she slammed the door. That was a great way to begin the year, she thought. Seeing Malfoy as soon as she stepped on the train really made her day. She shivered at the thought of seeing him all year.

A few moments later, she found Harry and Ron sitting alone, talking about none other then Quidditch. Their faces lit up when they saw her.

"Hey Hermione!" Ron greeted, as Harry gave her a small but welcoming hug. "Hermione, have you heard we're getting a new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher? Mad-Eye Moody had some Auror business he had to take care of and can't teach this year. I heard the new teacher is a _girl."_

"What's wrong with her being a girl, Ron?" Hermione said a bit irritated. "I'm sure she'll be just as good as Lupin and Moody."

"But it's a Dark Arts class, Hermione, we need someone who won't be afraid to touch slimy things and be able to do curses correctly." Ron said, looking at Harry for support. Harry just laughed, he didn't want to get in the middle of one of Hermione's and Ron's childish argument.

"Oh shut up you two, let's not judge her before we've met her. If Dumbledore's picked her, she can't be that bad, can she?" Harry looked at his friends, grins formed on their face. They'd remembered Lockhart, their Dart Arts teacher they had their second year. "Nevermind."

The three of them laughed, and soon the conversation turned into Quidditch again, like it always had with Harry and Ron. Hermione sat back in her seat and listened, she was glad to be with her two best friends.

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Author's Note: I had to rewrite it because my computer deleted the whole part with Hermione and I think it just frustrated me. I kept rewriting it over and over again and nothing seemed right, so it's not as good as I hoped. Anyways, the next chapter should be up in a few days. Please review and tell me what you think!

-**Bree**


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